Page:Life of the honourable Col. James Gardiner (1).pdf/17

 reason contest. He then challenged them to propose any thing they could urge, to prove that a life of irreligion and debauchery was preferable to the fear, love and worship of the eternal God, and a conduct agreeable to the precepts of his gospel. And he failed not to bear his testimony, from his own experience, (to one part of which many had been witnesses,) that after having run the round of sensual pleasure, with all the advantages the best constitution and spirits could give him, he had never tasted any thing deserving to be called happiness till he made religion his refuge and delight. He testified, calmly and boldly, the habitual serenity and peace that he now felt within his own breast, and the composure and pleasure with which he looked forward to objects which the gayest sinner must acknowledge to be equally unavoidable and dreadful.

Upon this, the master of the table, a person of a very frank and candid disposition, cut short the debate by saying; "Come, let us call another cause: we thought this man mad, and he is in good earnest proving that we are so.” On the whole, this well judged circumstances saved him a stood deal of further trouble. When his former acquaintances observed that he was still conversable and innocently cheerful, and that he was immoveable in his resolution, they desisted from further importunity. And he declared, that, instead of losing any one valuable friend by this change in his character, he found himself much more esteemed and regarded by many who could not persuade themselves to imitate his example.

Nothing remarkable occured in the Colonel's life from this period till the year 1716, when he married the Lady Frances Erskine, daughter to the Earl of Buchan, by whom he had 13 children, five of whom survived their father.

Before the close of these short memoirs, it may not be improper, or without its use, to give the reader a sketch of the character of this excellent man, with reference to his particular relative situations; in some or